Naylor's Natter Podcast 'Just talking to Teachers'

Full transcript available here (unedited) pna1977.wordpress.com Andrew Cowley, author of The Wellbeing Toolkit and co-founder of Healthy Toolkit (@HealthyToolkit), presents the ultimate guide to help primary schools develop a practical, principled and values-driven wellbeing curriculum for their pupils. Schools are responsible for giving children the tools and emotional resilience to cope with the changes and challenges they will face in the future. Developing an explicit wellbeing curriculum for primary-aged children is crucial: when taught how to make good life choices and care for their physical and mental health, children will thrive both at primary school and beyond. The Wellbeing Curriculum covers a range of issues from self-awareness, looking after others and building trust, to exercise, healthy eating, cyberbullying, leadership, diversity and empowerment. It offers practical ideas for embedding a wellbeing curriculum into lessons, assemblies, PSHE and RSE sessions and as part of the school ethos. This is the must-have book for schools looking to adapt their pastoral approach, and put pupil wellbeing at the heart of the curriculum.

Homeschooling, virtual lessons , teams and zooms . These necessary and vital educational lifelines have receded from view on the vista of most teachers for the moment . Technology played a vital and essential role in supporting schools and students during lockdowns. As a profession we have settled on various ‘keepers’ from this period, notably virtual parents evenings. What we have developed in the authors view from this period is a culture of 24/7 ‘contact-ability and consequent accountability due to the misuse and over-reliance on email. During the periods of partial closure, schools immediately and successfully flipped to an online learning model . This was facilitated primarily by email accounts allowing access to the suite of services offered by Google/Microsoft or other providers. At the time , schools were also able to bolster their contacts for parents/carers with email addresses . The speed at which contact could be made was a huge advantage for attendance, safeguarding and of course learning . These email addresses also became a lifeline for families to gain support for free school meal vouchers, access to services and a direct line to teachers .At the time , there was also limited access to many external agencies. Schools stepped into this void , notably in the area of healthcare becoming testing centres overnight. They also plugged gaps in many other areas helping to support the most vulnerable in society at a time when it was needed the most. As schools returned to normal in September , the normal business of schools resumed . Leading schools in 2021 is hugely demanding and rewarding . It requires fortitude , strength of will , huge reservoirs of energy and to maintain this a healthy work-life balance. The number of adverts currently in TES for senior leaders is testament to the size and scale of the challenge .Alongside the everyday work schools do in providing quality of education, personal development, curriculum and outcomes and behaviour , many of the expectations added during partial closures have continued to be the expected ‘norm’ for school leaders . I noticed this building during the summer holidays of 2021 when significant numbers of emails would land in my inbox daily from external agencies , parents and teachers . These extra expectations are demanding in and of themselves but the added accountability and contact-ability have the potential to considerably add to the challenges leaders and teachers already feel . There is also the added expectation of immediate contact from both parents and students. Having engaged parents and keen learners is obviously a very positive situation fro schools , however issues can arise when emails are not returned immediately and there is also the potential for misunderstanding on both sides . During the lockdowns and partial closures , working patterns shifted and life was restricted . Now that society and schools are fully open, we need to regain the work/life balance that is essential to maintain equilibrium in a very demanding job , the use of email needs a fundamental reassessment

Schools need to have purchase on the curriculum: why they teach the subjects beyond preparation for examinations, what they are intending to achieve with the curriculum, how well it is planned and enacted in classrooms and how they know whether it’s doing what it’s supposed to. Fundamental to this understanding are the conversations between subject leaders and their line managers. However, there is sometimes a mismatch between the subject specialisms of senior leaders and those they line manage. If I don’t know the terrain and the importance of a particular subject, how can I talk intelligently with colleagues who are specialists? This book sets out to offer some tentative answers to these questions. Each of the national curriculum subjects is discussed with a subject leader and provides an insight into what they view as the importance of the subject, how they go about ensuring that knowledge, understanding and skills are developed over time, how they talk about the quality of the schemes in their departments and what they would welcome from senior leaders by way of support. We have chosen this way of opening up the potentially difficult terrain of expertise on one side and relative lack of expertise on the other, by providing these case studies. They are suggested as prompts rather than the last word. Informed debate is, after all, the fuel of curriculum development. And why Huh? Well, 'Huh?' may be John's first response when he walks into a Year 8 German class but, in fact, we chose 'Huh' as the title of our book as he is the Egyptian god of endlessness. As Claire Hill so eloquently comments in her chapter, 'Curriculum development is an ongoing process; it's not going to be finished, ever.' And we believe that 'Huh' captures a healthy and expansive way of considering curriculum conversations.

Amy is currently Regional Education Director with Academy Transformation Trust and will be Deputy CEO - Education with Diocese of Coventry MAT as of 1st September. Natalie is Principal at North Walsall Primary Academy, part of Academy Transformation Trust. Episode emphasises the importance of a ‘curriculum mindset’ when it comes to behaviour and routines. Key themes: Climate Curriculum Consistency Continuous improvement

We all know the education system has its flaws, but they shouldn't stand in the way of providing the very best learning experiences for your pupils. This book presents a ground-up approach to help you manage the obstacles you might encounter and implement day-to-day methods to maintain your love for the profession, teach effective lessons and ensure pupil progress. Omar Akbar, author of The (Un)official Teacher's Manual, offers a wealth of hard-won practical advice for avoiding frustration and developing teaching techniques that have a real impact in the classroom. Full of hilarious anecdotes and exploring hot topics such as pupil apathy, enriching the curriculum, Ofsted, data and behaviour, this book is a refreshing and uplifting take on what NQTs can do to have a happy, healthy and successful career in education – starting now. Contents: Introduction Why teaching is the best job in the world How to make the curriculum work How to overcome pupil apathy How to make paper work How to manage all things data How to survive against the Ofsted odds How to manage behaviour policies How to use rewards effectively How to build positive relationships with your pupils How to get the support you need How to be a happy teacher

The vinyl suite is an opportunity for guests to share with listeners how music has influenced them and their career. Ideal for a run, walk or just a rest! Featuring: Nimish Lad Nikki Cunningham-Smith Halil Tamgumus 

TAKE BACK CONTROL OF YOUR CLASSROOM Are you new to teaching? Do you teach classes that are uncontrollable? Do you have students that make your job a living hell? Do you feel like your students manage you rather than the other way around? If so, you need to teach like an Action Hero. In this practical guide, former NEETs Coordinator and SEMH teacher, Karl C. Pupé shares his wealth of knowledge gained by working with some of London’s most challenging students. In his straightforward and conversational style, Karl will teach you: • The four types of students that are in every class and how to manage them • How to set rules your students will actually follow • The three most common teaching styles that will turn your class against you and how to avoid them • How to get respect and influence your students, quickly and easily • How to talk to your angriest learners, without freaking out And much more. It's not another dusty research paper that will take a month to read and a year to understand. This book is like your friend in the staffroom, ready with a warm cup of coffee and some wise words to share. The Action Hero Teacher will give you a no-nonsense roadmap that will make you less stressed and more confident going into your classroom. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Action-Hero-Teacher-Classroom-Management-ebook/dp/B07PFK6JYX/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Karl+c+Pupe&qid=1625170896&sr=8-1

When bad behaviour threatens to derail lessons and undermine teaching, it’s easy to feel like you’ve run out of solutions. Enter: Nikki Cunningham-Smith. With her comforting sense of humour, wealth of experience and ability to see positives in even the most nightmarish of classroom scenarios, Nikki encourages early career teachers to reflect on their practice, take care of their mental health and implement behaviour management strategies that really work. Feel Free to Smile draws on anecdotes from Nikki's time as a teacher in alternative provision settings, as well as contributions from fellow professionals and current NQTs such as Ross Morrison McGill, Vivienne Porritt, Kemi Oloyede and Sarah Mullin. It provides practical strategies, tips and quick fixes for dealing with difficult behaviour and keeping your cool in testing situations. With advice on all aspects of behaviour, as well as reflective questions and space to jot down your thoughts, this book is the perfect companion if you’re feeling daunted by challenging behaviour and looking for an experienced voice to help lead the way.

Prof Guy Claxton is Emeritus Professor at Winchester University and Visiting Professor of Education at King's College London. He has previously taught and researched at Oxford University, Bristol University and the University of London Institute of Education. An internationally renowned cognitive scientist, Guy s books include Hare Brain, Tortoise Mind; Wise Up: The Challenge of Lifelong Learning; The Wayward Mind; and Intelligence in the Flesh. Recent books in education include What's the Point of School?; Building Learning Power; and with Bill Lucas and others, New Kinds of Smart, The Learning Powered School; and Educating Ruby. Guy's Building Learning Power approach to teaching is widely used in all kinds of schools across the UK, as well as in Poland, Dubai, Indonesia, India, China, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Brazil and Argentina. The Naylor's Natter review: Guy Claxton speaks here with the authentic voice of a teacher and the knowledge of an esteemed academic. In this book , he presents the case for nuance and against the simple mindedness that is holding back education. As an avid reader of education books, I have noted the drift towards surface understanding and selective application of educational research. I have witnessed a cavalier attitude towards certain academic research being accepted as received wisdom ,whilst other types dismissed as folk tales produced by snake oil purveyors. The research and evidence movement risks becoming a parody of itself. Sweeping away edu myths whilst simultaneously creating its own through lethal mutations of Direct Instruction, cognitive load theory, retrieval practice and knowledge rich curriculum. Claxton presents a balanced , well-researched and up to date vision for the future of teaching . The middle ground may not be popular , nuance may well not sell out conferences but this pragmatic and accurate model of the future of education is well worth your time and money

The Kindness Principle: Making relational behaviour management work in schools advocates a behaviour management approach rooted in values, acceptance and a genuine understanding of children’s behaviour. In an education system that too often reaches for the carrot-and-stick approach to dealing with poor pupil behaviour, an approach built on kindness and compassion might just provide the cure. The Kindness Principle begins with the idea that relationships should be at the heart of behaviour management and culture, and sets out the ways in which the adoption of relational approaches can help create safer and happier schools. Schools where all staff and learners are valued and understood, where expectations and standards are high, and where kindness and acceptance matter. Dave Whitaker explores why it is so important to understand children – offering techniques and advice on how to work effectively with all children (even the most challenging and troubled ones) without resorting to zero-tolerance, no-excuses and consequence-driven practices. Dave also shares a wealth of real-life experiences from some of the most challenging schools in the country, along with research-informed insights that will help teachers understand children’s behaviour in a new light. To this end he provides a wealth of guidance to help develop effective practice and learn from people who have actually walked the walk and don’t just talk the talk. Furthermore, the topics covered in the book include: restorative approaches, unconditional positive regard, building personal resilience, structures and routines, and the ins and outs of rewards and sanctions. Suitable for teachers, school leaders and anyone working with children.